--- sourceDocument: Brazil Enable AI sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/intelligent-experiences Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil Enable AI ft:clusterId : - platai bundleId : - platai workflow : - Platform --- # AI Gateway # AI Gateway {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of AI Gateway The AI Gateway supports governance, observability, and security for Model Context Protocol (MCP) transactions, facilitating seamless interaction between AI host applications, MCP clients, and MCP servers. It is platform-agnostic, designed to operate both within ServiceNow's AI Agent Studio and external AI agent platforms. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Governance and Lifecycle Management:** Enables tight control over cross-platform AI resources, including managing MCP servers as assets. * **Identity and Access Management:** Supports secure authentication using OAuth 2.1 and role-based access controls to ensure secure connections between agents and MCP servers. * **Observability:** Provides visibility into key production metrics such as usage and latency to enhance monitoring and performance tracking. * **Platform Agnostic Integration:** Supports interoperability across various AI solutions and vendor platforms, enabling unified agentic workflows with governance. ## Key Outcomes * Enterprises can securely connect AI agents to remote MCP servers, ensuring safe and compliant AI interactions across platforms. * Improved governance and control over AI workflows spanning multiple vendor environments. * Enhanced operational insights through detailed observability into AI transaction metrics. * Automatic installation with AI Control Tower for Now Assist, included in Pro Plus licenses, simplifying deployment. ## Installation and Prerequisites * Required subscriptions: Now Assist and AI Control Tower for Now Assist with Pro Plus license. * Required components: AI Agent Studio, Plugins (snaigovernance v5.0.6+, sntelemetrydata v1.1.10+). * Key roles: AI steward for policy management and approval workflows, AI Agent admin for MCP server configuration within AI Agent Studio. ## Next Steps * Review the MCP server process flow via AI Gateway to understand transaction management. * Explore the AI Gateway setup tab and MCP server records for configuration details. * Understand the role assignments in AI Control Tower related to AI Gateway governance and administration. Explore the AI Gateway, its value and learn how to use and configure it for your MCP (Model context protocol) transactions. ## Model Context Protocol {#ai-gateway-overview__section_kz3_2kc_yhc} The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standardized client-server protocol that enables AI applications to discover and interact seamlessly with external tools, data sources, and systems. MCP facilitates communication between an AI host application (AI Agent Studio), an MCP Client embedded in the host, and one or more MCP servers that expose specific capabilities such as tools. For more information on MCP, see [Model Context Protocol Client](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/V0LjXxztkWn6~DCx7SKNGA "The ServiceNow Model Context Protocol Client (MCP Client) enables you to access the Model Context Protocol tools that are hosted externally and published using an MCP Server in the ServiceNow AI Agent Studio.") ## AI Gateway overview {#ai-gateway-overview__section_vt3_vnn_dhc} AI Gateway enables governance, observability, and security for your MCP transactions. AI Gateway is designed to be platform agnostic, delivering the above-mentioned benefits both within ServiceNow (AI Agent studio) and in external agentic studios and hosts. ## Why Gateway {#ai-gateway-overview__section_wwt_bqn_dhc} Enterprises are building unified AI across vendor boundaries. Their agentic workflows operate across platforms requiring governance. AI Gateway offers: * Lifecycle management * Asset registry * Identity and access management * Secure authentication method (OAuth 2.1) * Observability {#ai-gateway-overview__ul_px5_fqn_dhc} ## Value of AI Gateway {#ai-gateway-overview__section_xnc_qjr_mhc} With the increasing need of interoperability across different AI solutions across enterprises. AI Gateway provides a way for interoperability governance, observability \& security. ## Features and benefits {#ai-gateway-overview__section_r2q_2yn_4hc} * Enable tight governance and control of cross-platform resources such as MCP servers. * Enable enterprises to securely connect their agents to remote MCP servers, which work for any agent and MCP server. * Provide visibility into production metrics such as usage and latency. {#ai-gateway-overview__ul_gbd_hyn_4hc} ## Installation and prerequisites {#ai-gateway-overview__section_d4n_3rn_dhc} Applications * Now Assist subscription (required) * AI Control Tower for Now Assist -- Pro Plus license (auto-installs sn_awh_config) * AI Agent Studio (required for MCP server intake in AI Gateway for AI Control Tower (1.0.5)) {#ai-gateway-overview__ul_gh4_5b1_43c} Plugins * sn_ai_governance (version 5.0.6 or higher) * sn_telemetry_data (version 1.1.10 or higher) {#ai-gateway-overview__ul_ngx_wb1_43c} Roles * AI steward \[sn_ai_governance.ai_steward\] - for approval workflows and policy management * AI Agent admin \[sn_aia.admin\] -- for configuring MCP servers as tools in AI Agent Studio {#ai-gateway-overview__ul_rzx_cc1_43c} The AI Gateway application is automatically installed for customers who use AI Control Tower for Now Assist. If you're using any generative AI features, you already have access to AI Gateway. The AI Gateway is included with all types of pro plus licenses. To use the features in AI Gateway, ensure that both AI Agent Studio and AI Control Tower are available in your instance. ## What to explore next {#ai-gateway-overview__section_rmm_syn_4hc} * For information on the process flow of MCP servers, see [Process flow of MCP servers via AI Gateway](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/VX0oKXVGIIxo~l6lCAD4YA "Explore the process flow of configuring and introducing MCP servers via AI Gateway in AI Control Tower.") * For information on AI Gateway setup tab, see [MCP server record](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/fqC1RpUZknOpcB0bKhTStQ "Explore the MCP server record and its associated tabs.") * For information on AI Gateway in the configuration page, see [AI Gateway](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ZwclzR20HCi_UEcxifgr8g "Use the AI Gateway settings page to control global transaction processing for all connected MCP servers and manage individual MCP server connections independently of the global gateway state.") * For information on the roles in AI Control Tower and their role with AI Gateway, see [AI Control Tower roles](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/LAcd98FFQeu2TsmYn13mbw "Certain roles are installed along with the installation of the AI Control Tower.") {#ai-gateway-overview__ul_ms5_vyn_4hc}